The term “streaming” refers to a technology for allowing a client, which has a function for processing media content, to start content playback even when the client has only received a portion, but not all, of the content stored in a server. Before streaming starts, time synchronization is performed between the server and the client. In general, the server periodically transmits current time information to the client, and the client performs time synchronization based on the time information received from the server.
However, in this related art method, when there are a plurality of clients, a synchronization error is apt to occur between the clients. This is because the amount of time it takes for synchronization time information, which is transmitted by the server, to reach each playback device, that is, network latency, may vary depending on the wireless network environments of the clients. In particular, in a case where a plurality of playback devices play media content such as music, an echo detectable by humans may occur even when a synchronization error between clients is very small. Therefore, accurate synchronization is required between streaming clients that play the same content simultaneously.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.